Northwest Gold Coast

Making a major purchase such as purchasing a home can be painful.  But it doesn’t have to be hard.  Joshua Mangels of Need a Mortgage Now.com aims to make the home buying and refinancing process as painless as possible.  Whether you’re a weathered real estate buyer or it’s your first time, Joshua explains each step in understandable terms, helping you get the best loan to fit your situation.

Joshua’s website www.needamortgagenow.com offers up information and frequently asked questions and has an online form that allows you to schedule a phone consultation regarding your specific questions.  Below is some information to get you started.

Mortgages: “A mortgage is a loan secured by a property/house and paid in installments over a set period of time”, says Joshua.  It “secures your promise that the money borrowed will be repaid.”  Because there are different types of mortgages that offer different advantages to the customer, it is best to speak with Joshua to truly understand these differences.

Home Loan Types: There are many different types of home loans.  For example, Federal Housing Administration (FHA loans) aim to make housing more affordable, especially for first time home buyers, whereas jumbo loans are loans for amounts that are larger than most mortgage loan providers will cover and Veterans Administration loans are loans reserved for individuals who have served in the United States military.

Refinancing: Refinancing involves replacing current mortgages or loans with a new debt obligation that has different terms.  This change in terms may provide the home owner with additional cash to pay for college tuition, a home remodel or health bills or it may result in a lower interest rate or lower monthly payments or a shorter term to pay off the mortgage in a shorter amount of time.

With years of experience, Joshua Mangels has the heart and ability to offer the best option to every homebuyer.

To learn more about Joshua, mortgages, home loans or refinancing and how Joshua can help you go to www.needamortgagenow.com or to request a phone consultation go to www.needamortgagenow.com/appointment/.  If you want to hear more from Joshua you can read his blog by going to http://www.needamortgagenow.com/blog/ or check out his Facebook page

Tags: Services by Amanda Dorough
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Trying to get your business into the social media scene but fear the time, effort, and the cost it takes to effectively run a social media campaign?  I am here to tell you that you can start doing it without taking your focus away from other important aspects of your business and run it by yourself without the need for expensive social media firms. Impossible you say? Take a peek at a small local Seattle business, Smart Service, and see how Mike Corbin, the owner, tackled this enormous task.

Mike wanted to utilize some form of social media, but was concerned with how difficult it was going to be to start up a campaign and then maintain it. He went to Cascade e-Commerce Solutions (CeSI) for help. CeSI informed Mike that blogging is a simple and low cost form of socially interacting with his market and is a great way of getting his business attention on the web. After a brief setup using WordPress, which CeSI helped with, Mike was ready to roll. After only a few short posts, Mike was receiving a steady amount of comments and questions on Subaru models, Subaru maintenance, and Subaru head gaskets. In fact, head gaskets turned out to be an extremely hot topic that generated a significant amount of buzz; the flood gates were opened! By responding to the reader’s questions and concerns, Mike quickly became an online go-to expert on Subaru head gaskets. Currently, Mike adds a couple of new posts per month to maintain his online status and readership in addition to creating potential new customers for his business at Smart Service.

With a small amount of help from CeSI, Mike has successfully implemented a social media platform that is simple to startup, quick and easy to maintain, and all at a very low price. Congratulations Mike! The key to his success was his helpful and timely response to his readership. Anyone can start a blog, but interaction with the readers is what truly matters. On that note, would you like to be considered for a spotlight story in our newsletter? Please let us know by contacting us at info@4cesi.com, see you next month!

Tags: Services by Jordan Comar
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When I was younger my friends and I loved playing a game called MASH.  With a little creativity and numbers it would predict who we would marry (I’m still waiting for Justin Timberlake to propose), how many kids we would have, how much money we would make and where we would live.  Sometimes my friends would list amazing options, and I would walk away marrying my crush, living in a mansion with 3 kids and very rich, but usually my friends were not so kind and I would find myself marrying a bum and living in a shack with our 34 kids.  Although I was disappointed at the time, as I look back I am eternally grateful that this game doesn’t have the ability to predict the future.  Not only because I would be mighty tired with 34 kids, but because I no longer want the same things I wanted when I was 13.  I don’t need to be rich, or to marry a superstar, and a twenty bedroom mansion isn’t what I dream about at night.  Instead I dream of a cozy home that as Goldilocks would say is not too big and not too small but “just right”.  The Northwest’s Lexar Homes delivers that “just right” house to families of all sizes.

Based in Centralia and with offices in Washington, Northern Idaho and Eastern Oregon, Lexar Homes is ready to come to you.  Unlike traditional housing contractors Lexar doesn’t build their homes in tight developments where every square foot is more expensive than a car and the backyards are too small to fit a barbeque in, instead you have the choice to either buy the land they’ll build your house on, or choose a home on a lot already in production.  Lexar Homes gives you the control to create and customize you’re home and choose your property size. Your closest neighbor could be 20 miles away, or 20 feet away, it’s up to you!

Lexar Homes also offers something traditional developments don’t offer, selection.  While developments may offer 3 or 4 different home designs Lexar has more than 20 home floor plans to choose from. From small homes to a home for a large family, Lexar has a home for everyone.

For those of you who are a little more visual, you can find virtual tours of most homes and detailed floor plans of all homes on the Lexar Homes website.  The virtual tours give you a chance to see what it would be like to walk through the house, from the front door to the kitchen, utility rooms, living room, bathrooms and bedrooms and the blueprints give you an idea of where each room is in comparison to each other.

For all of us looking to break free of the development but still wanting enjoy a great energy efficient new home, Lexar Homes is truly the best in the Northwest.  If you would like to learn more, visit the Lexar Homes website at www.LexarHomes.com

Tags: Services by Amanda Dorough
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Burien Carnival Days
What: Enjoy rides and play games in this family fun event connected to the Burien Strawberry Festival.
Where: SW 152nd St. Downtown Burien
When: June 16-19 | Th & F 3pm to close; Sat & Sun 11am to close
Go to: http://www.discoverburien.com/events/

Burien Strawberry Festival
What: Check out local artists, listen to live music and eat plenty of strawberry shortcake.
Where: Burien Town Square Park
When: June 18 & 19 starting at 10 am
Go to: http://www.burienstrawberryfestival.org/

Kent International Festival
What: Enjoy performances from cultures around the world as well as craft booths and delicious authentic cuisine.
Where: Town Square Plaza
When: June 18 | 10am-6pm
Go to: http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/content.aspx?id=15248

SeaTac International Festival
What: This annual festival features a cultural village, arts and crafts vendors and amazing food stalls.
Where: Angel Lake Park
When: June 25 10am-8pm and June 26 10 am-5pm
Go to: http://www.ci.seatac.wa.us/index.aspx?page=495

Kent Cornucopia Days Street Fair
What: Featuring 600 vendors from around the country, great food, handcrafted items, and commercial vendors.
Where: Downtown Kent
When: July 8-9
Go to: http://www.kcdays.com/index.htm

Pioneer Square Fire Festival
What:  This festival promises to be loads of fun with antique fire trucks and police cars and fun family activites for all ages.
Where: Occidental Square Park
When: July 9 | 11 am-5 pm
Go to: http://www.lastresortfd.org/Fire_Festival-09.htm

Seafair Pirates Landing
What: Kick off the start of Seafair by watching the famed Seafair Pirates  make their yearly beach landing.
Where: Alki Beach
When:  July 9 | Vendors open at 9:30, the pirates land around noon.
Go to: http://www.seafair.com/AnEvent.aspx?ID=4&SecID=889

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival
What: Intertwined with Seafair events the West Seattle Hi-Yu festival is well known for it’s parade and features events throughout the month of July.
Where: West Seattle
When: Many events throughout July 2011
Go to: http://www.hiyu.com/

Mercer Island Summer Celebration
What:  This years festival features a medieval theme compelte with jousting nights, horses and sword fights!
Where: Mercerdale Park
When: July 9-10 | 10 am-5 pm
Go to: http://www.mercergov.org/sectionindex.asp?sectionid=61

Chinatown-International District Dragon Fest
What: With plenty of food and entertainment there’s sure to be something for everyone!
Where: Hing Hay Park
When: July 9-10 | 12-8 pm/12-6pm
Go to: http://www.cidbia.org/events/chinatown-id-dragon-fest-2011

White Center Jubilee Days
What:  The street fair, carnival and fireworks spell out summer!
Where: Downtown Kent
When: July 13-17
Go to: http://www.jubileedays.org/

Kirkland Uncorked
What:  A regional showcase of art, food and wine on the picturesque shores of Lake Washington.
Where: The Promenade in downtown Kirkland
When: July 15-17
Go to: http://www.kirklanduncorked.com/

Bite of Seattle
What: Fun events, good food, and you can even meet the cooks!
Where: Seattle Center
When: July 15-17 | Fri & Sat 11 am-9 pm, Sun 11 am- 8pm
Go to: http://www.comcastbiteofseattle.com

SWKCC July Networking Breakfast
What:  Monthly meeting for local businesses to network and socialize over breakfast
Where: Great American Casino
When: July 20 | 7am
Go to: http://swkingcowa.usachamber.com/custom2.asp?pagename=calendar&a=view&eid=55730

Renton River Days
What:  A multi-day family festival celebrating community pride.
Where: Liberty Park
When: July 22-24
Go to: http://rentonwa.gov/living/default.aspx?id=1138

Tags: Events by Amanda Dorough
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As we’ve suffered through a rough economy these last few years, Americans have sought new ways to save money.  Out of this came more and more segments on The Today Show about how to cut corners and save, as well as new TV shows like Extreme Couponing.  I’ve even taken to the coupon fad myself, eagerly anticipating the Sunday paper, then taking out my scissors to garner such deals as 50 cents off Lucky Charms or even better, the elusive buy one get one free coupon.

Saving money on travel is equally as important and with fuel prices driving airfare higher why not consider vacationing a little closer to home? Northwest Travel Deals.com wants you to get out and enjoy our corner of the country while saving money.

Snag a deal on a weekend at the Oregon Coast, or another to sip wine in Walla Walla. Northwesttraveldeals.com has discounts on both these vacations and many more around the Northwest, featuring travel deals in Washington, Oregon and Northern Idaho.

In the Seattle Area alone, Northwest Travel Deals offers more than 80 deals to visitors and locals alike with hotel packages and activities around the Puget Sound.  If you have friends or relatives coming to town this is the perfect site for them to find both entertainment and a hotel.

Everyone loves to travel and it doesn’t have to be expensive, NorthwestTravelDeals.com wants to help you get out and enjoy your vacation, even if it is close to home. So check it out, and get out and travel!

Tags: Services, Travel by Amanda Dorough
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The Romans built the first aqueduct more than 2,000 years ago.  Designed to carry fresh water to Roman cities and to dispose gray water into sewers they were an engineering marvel, and made the acquisition of water easier for the common man.  One thousand years later, amongst years of drought, a man in Palermo, Sicily, developed an aqueduct to bring drinking water to his community.  The people were so grateful they began calling him Mr. Bevilacqua, which means Drinkwater in Italian.

Later the Bevilacqua family immigrated to the US, and since that time they have served as plumbers or contractors in every generation and in every setting imaginable. Now, nearly one thousand years after Mr. Bevilacqua built the aqueduct, the Bevilacqua family continues to bring drinking water to their communities.

Here in Seattle, father and son, Fred and Anthony Bevilacqua, operate Acqua Plumbing.  Backed by generations of family knowledge and experience, they are able to tackle any plumbing problem and emerge victorious.   Offering services from gas piping to drain cleaning Acqua plumbing is available 24-hours a day to fix plumbing emergencies as they arise.

The Bevilacquas have also committed to educate other plumbers.  Refusing to keep their vast generational knowledge to themselves they strive to help make other plumbers better through their Acqua Continuing Education Program.

Although plumbing jobs aren’t glamorous, someone’s got to do it, and Acqua plumbing and the Bevilacqua family are among the best in the Northwest.  Learn more at www.acquaplumbingllc.com.

Tags: Services by Amanda Dorough
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